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>> at shell, we believe the world needs a broader mix of energies. thats why were supplying cleaner-burning natural gas to generate electricity. and its also why, with our partner in brazil, shell is producing ethanol, a biofuel made from renewable sugar cane. >> a minute, mom! >> lets broaden the worlds energy mix. lets go. >> britain's david cameron appears before an inquiry. and murdoch asked if he was able to --

>> hello and welcome to gmt. i'm george. also in the program, spain borrowing at a new record. we're asking why last week's bailout has had so little affect and doctors that treated protesters last year, they should have never been charged, say activists. it's early morning in washington. 1:00 in the match in cairo and midday here in london where the british prime minister, david cameron is giving testimony in an inquiry. he said in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal but over the last few months the investigation has gone way beyond that. today his own judgment is under

investigation and his close links in rupert murdoch's case. let's listen. >> can i ask you this fateful question, do you agree in general on that matter? >> yes, i do. and as for phone calls, i'm not asking you to count them out, but approximately how often did you speak to her by phone including by mobile phone? >> in opposition, perhaps particularly throughout 2006, 2007. not a huge amount. i always felt when i did, i always -- it felt i was telephoning a lot less than gordon brown. >> and he's the house leader of the opposition? >> i was in contact a lot less than he was.

but i can't put numbers on it. but certainly in 2006-2007, not necessarily every week. >> ok. can we move it forward to 2008-2009. was there contact by phone say on a weekly basis? >> i think as we get closer to the election and the decision of the "sun" and also the wedding and she's moved into charlie brooks' house, which is very near where i live or where we live in constituency, the level of contact went up, and we saw each other socially more. >> about how frequently? >> what days are we talking about? >> 2008-2009. mr. cameron, just to get an idea of by telephone and by social contact.

>> it's very difficult, because i don't have a record, and i don't want to give you an answer that isn't right. so sometimes i expect we would have been talking to each other quite a bit, particularly around the time of the wedding or when we were both in -- we would have had more frequent contact. >> so when you are at your constituency at week's end, would you see her every weekend or most weekends? >> not every weekend. in 2008-2009, i'd have to check. i might be able to go back and check. but i don't think every weekend and i don't think most weekends, but it would depend.

i don't think it's necessary to ask you check. >> these questions aren't designed to be that precise. >> definitely, we were particularly -- once she started going out with charlie brooks and living a couple miles down the road, i was definitely seeing her more often, because my sort of friendship with charlie and as a neighbor, and you know, we played tennis together and other things, so that's why i was seeing more of her. >> and there's one text message, which i invite you to look at now. dated 7th of october, 2009. sure what number it's been given in our system. it's tapped at five with the addendum.

>> right. >> i'm going read it out been before i'm going to say something about it. i should make it clear before i read it out that news international had recently disclosed a number of other text messages to mrs. brooks and mr. cameron. so the section 21 request is in fact an order under statute to disclose. those relate to a period of october, 2009. may, 2011 and june 2011. in the inquiry all of the other text messages i referred to are irreally stronet terms of reference. and it's explained why text messages and other in other monthly -- on the 7th of

october, 2009. during the party conference -- certainly within eight or nine days report sent, at 6:45 in the afternoon. on grounds of really inventories and she says seriously, suggesting the first line contains or might contain something of a jocular nature. i do understand with the time, let's discuss over country supper soon. on the party, it was because i had asked a number of benine international news recently and they were disappointed not to see you. but as always, sam is wonderful, and -- and i thought -- i am so rooting for you tomorrow. not just as a personal friend

but because professional, we are in this together. the rooting for you tomorrow is probably you consider giving a speech. >> i think it was my party conference speech. i can't explain this email. the issue with "the times" at the party conference i had not been to the "times" party. the major groups at the party conference and they expect party leaders, cabinet members to go. and that would be the normal thing to do, the telegraph at the time. i hadn't gone. and i think that's what this was about, and i was apologizing for that. >> just the phrase about professionally we're definitely in this together, what was your understanding of that?

>> i think that was "the sun" backed superlatives to part company with labor. so "the sun" wanted to make sure it put its best foot forward. and i think that's what that was. >> you were covering the sun together. >> i think she meant it as we were friends and in the newspaper we were going to be pushing the same political agenda. >> and with the country suffer, she refers to also in a forward-looking way, is that the type of interaction you often had with her? >> yes. as we were neighbors. >> ok.

>> now move forward in time to -- as this related to the mccanns. >> yes. >> were you asked by mrs. brooks to support or indeed dueled take place review of the mccans case regarding the police? >> i don't really the whole providence of this whole issue. what i remember is i had a meeting with jerry mccann as a leader of the opposition. and you can't help but be moved by the efforts made to try to get madeline back, and i've followed this up as a prime minister, but i can't remember who called who and when and

what have you, but i think the police clearly had played a role in trying to deep investigation going, and the government was helping with that. >> in terms of any interaction between you and mrs. brooks, was it brought to your attention that mrs. brooks went to see two of your special advisors i believe on the 11th of may? >> i don't really. it might well have been. i don't really the exact conversations. i do really recall, because i can see where -- my life behind the question which is are you treating different investigations and campaigns fairly? and i do remember consulting the sector 10 about the step that the police were about to take backed by the government which is some funding for this and it was drawn to my

attention that there was a special procedure used in various cases, and it was going to be used in this case, and he was satisfied that it will be dealt with. so the importance of making sure things were done properly, and i believe it was. >> were you aware of any pressure being put on you directly or indirectly by mrs. brooks to cause this review the take place? >> you mean you mean, pressure? no. i was not aware of any pressure. >> so if there wasn't pressure, was any influence then sought? >> well, clearly, this was a very high-profile case, and a case that a number of newspapers wanted to champion, because their readers wanted to champion it. >> and obviously as

governments, you have to think, are we helping with the general case, and i did answer the questions. i think we made an appropriate response. but i don't remember any specific pressure being put on me, and -- >> moving on to a different topic. it is related to earlier topics, but it sort of ties in with the implied viewpoint. you may or may not have been following gordon brown's evidence but he made specific reference that you had the opportunity to deal with it. and to be fair to him, he put it higher than implied, he put it as an express deal which you

made either with rupert murdoch or james merdock to side paraphrase, follow the line of tag rts. and the bbc in exchange for news international supporting your party. that's the allegation. i won't look at the detail, but i invite you respond to it generally. >> well, to respond to it generally, it's nonsense from start to finish. i think where it comes from is obviously gordon brown was very angry and disappointed that the sun had desserted him, and in my view he's cooked up an entirely peachless and con -- in most cases it's complete nonsense.

to take a couple of examples, he refers to sporting events and it was his government that delifted the ashes. he makes a point of us taking up product placement. again, it was the labor government who stated the change of rules on product placement, and whether it's under his oversight on the bbc as i followed you before. my position on the bbc is not the same as -- but there was, as i said before, there was no covert deal for support or nods wangdes. me, trying to win over newspapers, trying to win over television, but not trading

policies for that support. and you look the details of this. as i said, this is complete nonsense. >> all right. we're going to leave mr. cameron and the evidence he's giving. right there you heard him say no deals, no nods and winks. no trading often policies. but nonetheless our correspondent amy grimley is with us. i'm sure the headlines are "we're in this together" from rebekah brooks. >> yes. part of the same social circle. this text message which was read out in court came around the time that the "sun" newspaper transferred from the labor department to the conservative and there's a line where she'll be rooting for him in a speech he's making and

remind him that professionally, we're in this together. >> now david cameron said that was to do with policy and the fact that they saw eye-to-eye on the policy. but the danger is it gives careens to that view that there might have been some sort of deal, like, you scratch my back and i'll scratch yours. >> much about tone and atmosphere as that same text or email you're referring to. they talk about country suppers and so on. so it appears. well, oh, they spend a lot of time together. >> exactly. section is everything in politics and the section you have here is a media, kind of political, going to each other's houses and birthdays and spending a lot of time with each other, and the question is were they able to keep business and social life separate?

david cameron already said doesn't help your argument. >> all right emily, thank you. for the moment. i'm sure we'll be at this again. let's get to business news. aaron is here. i want to talk about spain. their borrowing costs have reached the level where you start pressing the panic button. >> yes. in terms of the cost of borrowing for the spanish government. where you and i talk about this a lot. the yield. the rate at which investors force for government yet. for 10 years, spanish government bonds hit over 7%. but it's the first time in euro history where the cost of borrowing for the spanish government hit a level where markets around the world are saying, it's too expensive and insustainable. >> you probably explained this

to me before. you said spain just got $100 billion euros. >> well, they got a 100-billion promise. here's a reason why that hasn't reassured the markets. one, we don't know what comes with those 100 million euros. on top of that. , with the government authority with a lot of debt, what does our loan of billions do? for that reason, moody's downgraded once again, the final move. this time one touch about john's status. >> exactly, if you're an investor and you're holding on to spanish government bonds and debts, basically i.o.u.'s, soon they can be worth junk status. it's the moral they are --

let's remind everybody, george, that that's the level at which members of greece, ireland and portugal put their hands up and say, you know what? we need a bailout. >> listen to this. >> the bailout countries so far are facing at the moment the bailout. and certainly they are not big enough to cope for the bailout of the likes we have seen for portugal, italy and ireland and then should take italy off the market as well. >> it is. and there's wire. italy is also being beaten up at the moment. but the biggest worry is we don't have enough money in the rescue pot far full blown bailout. >> thank you. >> how the burmese pro democracy reform he is

scheduled to receive in joe new year's evea. he said the profits from any investment must be shared with the fwer he's people. well, the bbc folks are in geneva for us. the speech i think it was to the u.n. labor organization, but that's -- the fact that her presence in geneva in itself is something, isn't it? >> yes. it's been 24 years since she set foot here and the last time she was here the berlin wall still stood. but also, she has been a particular ear at the united nations. someone whose been so admired for her support and democratic

a great deal of personal advice in terms of separation from her children, from her husband. so when she came here today, i have to say i have never seen so many current and retired u.n. officials just standing outside, waiting to catch a glimpse of her. and her speech, i think reflected the kinds of things that she has stood for all these years. a very modest woman. but a very pragmatic woman. she said she wanted investments in burma, which it has to be to support mrs. -- she moves on from there. she had a word for new parliamentarians like herself, in fact, she said don't get above yourself. you're there to serve the people. >> so the superstar image is a

pragmatic one for her. >> now a group of bahrainian men who were sentenced up to 5 years for helping anti-government protesters have had their sentences reduced or acquitted. nine doctors and nurses were given them. 1 month and five years. for others, they were quarterbacked. my friend joins me in the studio. the activists up to a point but they should never have been charged in the first place. >> yes. also as you know, george, it's extremely controversial. the 20 medics arrested last spring after protests against the sunni-led. many were arrested and tortured. then they were sentenced to

between 5-15 years. it triggered an international outcry and an appeals process went into play and i spoke to a defense attorney who said it's good that some have been acquitted but had there been a fair been in court. and it says this shows this is a country where the rule of law applies. there are still other appeals they could go through. >> yes. human rights groups are saying they have concerns about this whole process and that these people should never have been put before a trial. the defense attorney i spoke to said some of those may have been guilty of violations of professional ethics for taking part in a protest but none of them committed a crime and shouldn't have gone to court.

>> in 20 seconds. wits addressed on the ground now >> very politically charged. >> caroline, thank you. now a reminder of our top story here on gmt. the british prime minister, david cameron said he had no covert agreements with the media and had never traded policies in return for their support. mr. cameron has been answering questions about his close nature, and the inquiry followed some of britain's best-selling newspapers used phone hacking to get scoops. we have been watching that inquiry for the last couple of hours.

the british prime minister is there facing questions about his relationship with the media. >> there was no deal. if you don't have a public inquiry, then there's the perception. >> it's very important alongside, you know, the appalling things that happened to innocent people. >> we'll leave david cameron. stay with us on "bbc world news." there's more to come. >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, newman's own foundation, union bank, and shell. >> at shell, we believe the world needs a broader mix of energies. thats why were supplying

cleaner-burning natural gas to generate electricity. and its also why, with our partner in brazil, shell is producing ethanol, a biofuel made from renewable sugar cane. >> a minute, mom! >> lets broaden the worlds energy mix. lets go. >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet, los presented by kcet, los angeles.